A New Heart, A New Mind
by Rianons Wings
Summary: Inuyasha finally blows it, Kagome leaves him. Alone, Inuyasha makes a deal with Naraku, and Kagome moves to find herself and to prevent Inuyasha from becoming full demon however she falls into a trap and meets the most unlikely love of her life. R&R! My 1


A New Heart, A New Mind

Episode 1, Leaving Home, Losing Inuyasha

By: Rianons Wings

Inside a small well, a Kagome appears from seemingly nowhere wearing a long green Kimono with gold and black symbols and a black sash. Her hair is free as usual, longer due to aging for the past three years, and she seems really happy about something. She climbs out over the well wall and looks over to Inuyasha, looking the same as ever with a scowl on his face. "Inuyasha! Look!" She waved a peice of paper in front of his face. "What the hell is that and quit waving it! You know I can't read those futuristic things... and why the HELL are you late?" Kagome, ignoring his obvious bad mood, jumped up and down excited. "It's my diploma! I'm graduated! I can go to collage! AND I have my pick of schools!" Inuyasha looked even angrier. "I thought you were done with this school thing..." Kagome looked at him still feeling everything within her bubbling with excitement. "I'm done with _high school_ not school. I've still got four more years, but I can take time off and not go to it for awhile, but then my scholarship wont take effect, so I have to go as soon as collage starts next semester! I'll be completely free to stay for awhile, but when I'm in collage, I'll have to stay there." "WHAT!" Inuyasha screamed. Kagome looked at him curiously. "What's got you in such a bad mood?" "YOU'RE LATE! And you come here looking all... well... spoofed up and then you tell me you're gonna go back forever!" Kagome looked shocked for a second and smiled to herself. _Spoofed up? I've had more of a influence on him than I thought I had. _Then she saw his pissed off, arrogant look. "I also said it will be awhile. Can't you be happy for me? I mean, it was a big accomplishment, being that I'm always here." Kagome felt her temper rising. _Noone can get my temper up as fast as him, grrr! He's such an asshole! _Kagome thought to herself. Inuyasha didn't notice, of course. "You wench, I'm so fucking tired of your shit, you're such a bitch!"

Kagome felt her temper burst. "That is the last FUCKING time I will ever endure your stupid selfishness! God DAMN you!" Kagome said and, surprisingly, started walking to Kaede's village instead of jumping through the well. "Where the hell do you think you are going?" Inuyasha said with a darkness to his tone that she had never heard before from him, but she knew from every horror movie she had ever watched. She didn't dare turn around, but kept walking at the same pace. "Away from you." She said simply, controlling the fear in her voice to a minimum. She didn't know what he would do, but she knew that tone was dangerous. She knew she had to get away. Inuyasha then appeared in front of her by jumping. "Kagome, no. I'm not letting you leave me hanging. I'm tired of your guilt trips, I'm tired of your false airs of innocence." Suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly close to him. "Inuyasha... Stop..." Kagome said with a slightly panicked tone. "No." He said then lustfully kissed her, cramming his tongue down her throat. Kagome struggled but he only held her tighter, his claws begining to dig into her back. She pushed against his chest but couldn't budge him. _Oh no! Inuyasha, stop... _She thought and tried to say, but was muffled. She tried to scream, but he drug one of his clawed hands up to her throat. He pulled his head away temporairly, but held hers in place by her neck. "No Kagome, not this time. You've kept me waiting long enough." Kagome looked up into his eyes and saw the lust that seemed to overtake him. "Stop you bastard!" His hand squeezed her throat tighter. Kagome could no longer breathe. Her panic trippled and she kicked hard. Inuyasha winced and lightened his grasp, but he stayed fast as a low growl emmited from his throat. "That felt as good as it hurt." he said with a twisted smile. Kagome looked at him shocked. She knew he was beyond control. "Si..." His hand gripped her throat again. "No 'sitting' me." Then he went at it again, kissing her and trying to undress her so that she couldn't do anything. Then she had idea. As his tongue forced it's way into her mouth, she bit down hard. She tasted blood as he pulled away and she ran, holding her kimono together and her sash at her side.

Inuyasha screamed and cursed, then held his mouth closed as blood flowed through his teeth. That WHORE! he thought and attempted to say but couldn't. He then turned around and ran after her, catching up quickly, but not quickly enough. Inuyasha looked ahead and saw Kagome hiding behind Miroku and Sango, with Kaede holding her as she sobbed and Shippou patting her on the back. "Inuyasha! You BASTARD!" Sango said, her voice full of hatred and disbelief, Hiraikotsu poised and ready to fly. Miroku raised Shakujou (his staff) and looked at Inuyasha with a look of complete disgusted disbelief. "Inuyasha, you have been calling me a hentai since I first joined you and Kagome, and NEVER have I attempted to rape an unwilling woman, you are dispicable. At first I wondered if you had been possessed, but you are completely yourself. I never would have believed this of you." Kagome stood up and held a bow and arrow in her hand. The arrow was glowing bright blue already, but was not even notched and ready to fly. Her Miko powers were obviously growing due to her feeling of betrayal and sadness. "Inuyasha, what the hell is wrong with you!" She said sounding strained. Inuyasha looked at her with his eyes cold as steel. He looked as if he himself had been betrayed. "Kagome, you have been coming here since you were fifteen. Since then, you have been working me down to basically be your 'pet' dog. I'm sick of it! You're nineteen now, and you haven't changed a bit! You still are the same kid you were when you got here. I have needs too ya' know, and I'm tired of waiting on you..." "THAT GAVE YOU NO RIGHT!" Kagome and Sango screamed, cutting him off. Hiraikotsu flew from Sango's hand at this and Inuyasha leaped up into the air. Suddenly a bright blue arrow zoomed towards him, hitting him in the side. He screamed and landed heavily on his knees. "Ah! You BITCH!" He said then yanked the arrow out holding his hand over the burning skin. "Oh... FUCK!" he said and then leaped up into the air. "I'll be back to get you for that!" Inuyasha yelled, infuriated again. Then he was gone.

Sango caught Hiraikotsu and looked at Kagome, as did Miroku. She was numb, it was obvious. Her expression was formidable, yet she seemed to be calm and relieved. There was an air of sadness surrounding her that seemed to be above greif. "It's strange you know. He constantly called me a whore, yet he did this because I'm too prudish." She turned around and picked up Shippou, who was now eleven but still rather small still for his age. "Kagome-mum, don't be sad about that asshole. He's not worth it." Kagome looked at him and smiled. "Yeah, I know. Don't worry Shippou-Son, I'll kill him next time... without regret." Shippou smiled. "Just call me Son, Mum." Shippou said smiling at her. Miroku looked after Kagome and Shippou's figures disappearing into the hut that had been built for them whenever they were in that area. "You think that Kagome is going to be ok?" He said quietly to Sango. " I don't know. She seemed to be pretty... hardened after she shot him. I don't think that she will go after him though unless he comes back for her, but you know he will... and I'll be ready." She said gritting her teeth at the end of the sentence. Kaede seemed to be watching the woods for Inuyasha and sighed. Inuyasha's wood's aura seemed to be turning black and red. There seemed to be alot of Jaki (dark energy) emmiting from deep within the wood. _This is going to get really bad_ she thought as she turned to return to Kagome and question her fully.

"Ok, Mum! What are we going to do now that Baka-dog is gone? Are we still going to be collecting the jewel shards?" Kagome stayed silent for a small amount of time then nodded. "Yes. Isn't that much obvious? We can't let Jerk-wad collect them all then come back for us, now can we?" Shippou shook his head. "No. So are we going to stay with Miroku and Sango? Cause I think that they can really help us." "Yes, we will stay with them." Kagome felt completely calm and seemed to have no strong emotions except when the name 'Inuyasha' was mentioned. Then the emotion was only revealed by a short pause in whatever she was doing, then continuing on silently. So Shippou decided to make a new way to let everyone know who he was talking about without actually saying Inuyasha, but instead saying things like Jerk-Wad, Ass-Wipe, and Baka-dog. Kagome thought it was cute, and noticed the child-like innocence and goodwill behind it, so she did not let anyone see her slight depression at anything to do with Inuyasha. Kagome dared to not to think his name, or to listen to the whispered comments whenever her back was turned. _I'll be so glad when this all blows over, and he is gone from my life forever. Too bad that wont be till he's dead. _She held up the shikon shards, there was one shard over half of the jewel there. _He'll never let me keep these, alive or dead, I have too much of it._

Kagome then hid them away, inside a new secret pouch that Kaede had given her for that purpose. The pouch was attached to the top of her leg by a harness, and was made from an old rabbit demons hide that had died from a battle wound. The hide was extremely strong, and when she hooked it, the pouch fused to her skin. The fusing felt weird, but Kaede had forewarned her of that being a possible occurance. It was removable by simple will, and became invisible at will; that had been the demons power. "Cool." She said mostly to herself. She knew that Kaede had walked in as she had fused it to her. "Are ye going to be alright Kagome? Ye hold the same sadness that my sister keeps, yet I hope that ye do not hold the same anger." Kagome smiled to Kaede. "No, I do not hate him, but he destroyed any chance at there being anything more than distant aquaintances, if he will allow that. It is unforgivable what he did, and what I did he will view as being unforgivable as well. Kaede, I am going to go back to my world to say goodbye. I am going to stay here, in the past. Shippou needs me now, and I will never abandon him; and I can never allow Inuyasha to take to Shikon shards. I have no way to protect myself without Sango and Miroku in my world, so I must stay here. Forever." Kagome had spent the night debating with herself her choices that remained. She couldn't go back and let Inuyasha take over, she couldn't abandon her Shippou, and she had a strong feeling that her destiny remained in the past. So she had decided to stay. Kaede watched Kagomes sad eyes. "When shall ye leave?" Kaede asked. "Now."

Kagome turned around and walked though the beaded door and down to Sango, who was practicing with Hiraikotsu on a dummy that looked suspiciously like Inuyasha. "Sango, will you walk with me to the bone-eaters well?" Sango caught Hiraikotsu and nodded. "Sure, I was about to go there anyways. Kirara! Come on." Kirara was in her big form, so Kagome and Sango climbed on her back. As they were traveling, Sango explained why she was getting ready to go to the well. "Miroku and I decided that while you are still traveling to the future, we should watch for Inuyasha and prevent him from going after you through the well. We have been watching the well in shifts since the incident, and Kirara followed Inuyasha's scent through the woods and determined that he did not go to the well afterwards. So he'll have to get through us to get to you while you're there." Sango seemed to be holding something back, and Kagome instantly knew what it was. "Don't worry Sango, I'm returning to get enough supplies to last for quite some time and to say goodbye forever. Then we will block the well. "Sango watched her and sighed. "I'm terribly sorry Kagome... I know how it feels to never be able to see your family again." Kagome smiled sadly but didn't say anything. Sango turned away, giving Kagome some privacy. Soon, they landed. "Thank you Kirara, for the ride and your help of late. Thank you Miroku, Sango for everything too. I will return soon. I promise you that I wont leave you hanging forever. Oh, and will you tell Shippou I'll be back soon, he was playing with a village kid when I left. The poor guy needs someone his own age to hang out with." When they nodded, Kagome jumped in.

"Ok Mom, Ji-Chan, Souta... I'm going to tell you all this only once. I have no choice in the matter, and neither do you. I am leaving now, and you wont see me for another few years... unless Inuyasha dies. I cannot return anytime in the near future because, if I do, there is a severe risk that you will all die... and me as well." Kagome was standing in front of them all now with two suitcases of clothes and nicknacks (including some feminie products) she dared not part with, and one suitcase full of canned foods and a hand held can opener, and packages of dried noodles and ramen. She also had a few sodas, for special occations, and chocolate. This was all along with her yellow book-bag, which was now considerably lighter due to the removal of the heavy textbooks. Kagome's mother closed her eyes as if she had been waiting for this day and did not like it being this soon, then raised her head proudly and nodded to her daughter with a look of love on her face. Souta looked confused and upset, as did Ji-Chan. "Kagome, what happened to you, why would we be in danger if you came back?" Souta asked quickly, cutting off Ji-Chan before he went on a rant. _Souta has definately changed alot in the past few years,_ Kagome thought, _he's sixteen now, damn. His voice is alot deeper too. I wish I could bring him along. _Kagome mentally sighs_ He's not suited for those times though. He's still too innocent._ "Inuyasha and I have come to a personal disagreement over what I should do with my body. Leave it alone Souta. He is violent. If he comes here anyways, Souta, I want to you have this." She handed Souta a small red fang about the size of the ones on Inuyasha's necklace. "Keep this with you at all times. If Inuyasha comes here, just hold it up and say sit. It will merge into his necklace and make you able to control him." Kaede had given this to Kagome earlier the night before, after questioning her about everything."This power is not to be misused. There is also the fact that if you say it too much, it's power will die... but with that also comes the fact that this fang will make the impact he feels harder than the one I have. If need be, kill him." Souta took the fang, inspected it casually and pocketed it. "Ok sis, I got ya... But Kagome... Can't I go with you? I'm sixteen now." Kagome shook her head. No Souta, maybe when you're out of school and I can find a way to pull you in, but for now, you must watch out for Mom and Ji-Chan." Souta bowed his head and nodded. "Fine, but if you're not back in three years, I'm going to have to find a way in myself." Souta stood up and hugged Kagome then walked out of the room. He hadn't hugged her in about three years. _Oh Souta, you're going to miss me aren't you?_

It had been a tough goodbye to Souta, but it had been even worse to Ji-Chan, and then her Mother. Her mother had made sure that Kagome had everything she would need, and gave her a silvery amulet that had a strange symbol etched into it on one side and a beautiful bird with it's wings spread wide on the other, on a fine, white-gold chain. Ji-Chan told her to stay still, because he had to go find something. When he finally came back, he was holding a long, rusty-looking sword. Upon inspecting it, Kagome discovered that it was none-other than Inuyasha's sword, Tessaiga. Kagome had gasped at discovering this. "Ji-Chan, how did you get this!" Ji-Chan, for once, had nothing to say. He didn't know the story behind it, just that a full-blooded yokai had given it to her family about four-hundred and ninty years ago. She had almost cried at hearing this, even through her new icy heart. That had to mean that Inuyasha... _No, not neccessarily... don't think about it Kagome, not right now. _ Then she had hugged them each in turn, and left. So here she was now, standing at the edge of the well, about to jump in with all of her suitcases and wearing a thick strapped black tanktop and tight black jeans that flared out at the ends, along with a pair of comfortable leather boots and Tessaiga hooked onto a black leather belt when she heard footsteps and the door slide open. "Kagome?" _Oh no! Not Hojo!_ Kagome thought and dropped in all of her bags. There was an audible thud. "Kagome? What are you doing?" Hojo was standing at the doorway, staring at her with a look of slight fear. She could tell that Hojo was ready to jump and grab her, and pull her away from the ledge. Kagome sighed. She had an idea, it was cruel and horrible, but it would work and Hojo would be free to move on with his life. "Hojo... I just want to tell you something. Move on with your life. Don't feel sad, don't try to stop me. I don't want to die in a hospital, with a machine keeping me alive. I appreciate your helpfulness and friendship, and I'm sorry that there couldn't be more between us... but this is goodbye." Then Kagome let herself fall inside the well. She saw him start to run to her, but it was too late. Before she touched the ground she reached out to grab her bags and slapped them, so he could 'hear' her hit the ground. Then as she fell into the time warp, she could hear him calling her name faintly. "Nooooo! Kagoooooomeeeee..." Then his voice was gone, and she left her old life, her old home, for what, at the time, felt like forever.

Kagome appeared again in the feudal era, along with her bags. She could hear voices echoing down to her from above. "Miroku, Sango, Shippou... I don't want to hurt you, but move. All I need to do is apologize to Kagome." Above her and out of Kagome's sight, Sango shook her head. "No Inuyasha, none of us will ever trust you again. We'll have to kill you if you try to get past us, and I'll be glad to inform you that that is a condition that I didn't come up with. I was going to kill you as soon as I saw you, but..." Sango looked at Miroku with a look sort of like the one a rabid dog on a leash would give to the one who had bound it. "Inuyasha, I believe your judgement should be delt by Kagome, though I would feel great pleasure in killing you myself." Inuyasha gritted his teeth. "Then I'll have to kill you for your interferance in my dealings with Kagome!" At this he lept. "SIT!" Kagome yelled from the bottom of the well. THUD! Sango and Miroku spun around and looked to the bottom of the well. "Oh. Kagome, nice to see you again." Miroku said. Kagome nodded and began to climb out. Miroku helped her out while Sango watched Inuyasha with a look of hatred. Miroku looked at the sword at Kagome's side and took a second to recover, almost letting Kagome slip. Inuyasha stood up and glared at her as she finally got over the edge and spit. "I'm tired of you doing that..." Kagome glared back at him. "And I'm tired of you." Inuyasha looked at her somewhat shocked. Kagome had suddenly gotten a look that likened her to Kikyou so much, the only way he could tell a difference was by Kagome's clothes and hair. She looked pale and souless... almost dead. It broke him to peices. "Ka-Kagome... I didn't mean to hurt you... I just... lost control of myself. I promise, it'll never happen again." Kagome shook her head. "No Inuyasha. No. Leave, it's over. Forever." Inuyasha was shocked, yet again. Kagome had never told him that he could never see her again. Nor had he ever expected her to. "Kagome..." "NO!" A burst of red energy had suddenly emmitted from her body, knocking Inuyasha back. Kagomes eyes had begun to turn a deep blood-red and Inuyasha could sence a change in Kagomes scent. She smelled of Yokai.

Inuyasha stared at her bewildered, then his temper started to rise. "Kagome! I came here to fix everything... and this is how you treat me!" Kagome's red energy became brighter. "You think that you can simply say I'm sorry to fix what you did?" Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha... just leave." The red energy slowly disappeared and her eyes and scent returned to normal. She seemed to be purifying herself. _Still, _ thought Inuyasha, _there is something different about her. I've changed her in some way, yet she is still pure at heart... too pure to be a yokai. How could I have ever thought she smelled of one?_ Inuyasha stood back up and gave her an evil look he really didn't feel. "Kagome, you haven't left me, I left you." Then he lept away. Kagome laughed to herself. "He really believes that, does he? Because that is the most ludicrous thing he's ever said." Kagome then looked over into the well. "Miroku? Sango? Can you help me get the rest of my things?" Miroku and Sango looked down into the well as well. "Wow Kagome... There's alot of bags." Kagome smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess I over packed a bit... but I'm going to be away for a long time." Sango nodded and gave Miroku a meaningful look. "Well," Miroku said sounding apprehensive, "Let's get to it." Kagome laughed to herself. _Well, I guess the way I talk has had an effect on everyone._

Kagome sighed and leaned against a wall of their little hut, slowly sinking down till she was sitting. "Wow. I guess I did pack alot." She looked around the room and saw all of her precious things in little built-in-the-wall cubbies looking down at her, among her other things that were more personal and kept in a tin box with a lock. Kagome looked at her clothes cubby and then to her shoe cubby. There were four big cubbies and five smaller ones above them. "Well, at least it looks more like home than usual." Suddenly, Kagome remembered watching Miroku and Sango sealing the well. She sighs sadly as Miroku walked in and glanced at her redecoration of the hut. Then he looked at her. "You feeling better Kagome?" Kagome nodded. "Yeah... Could be better, but I'll be ok." Miroku was quiet for a few minutes. "Kagome?" She looked at him. "I've been thinking since the last encounter with Inuyasha. First, how do you have Tessaiga?" Kagome smiled at him. "Apparently, it has been passed down though my family since about 9 years from now. This one is about four-hundred and ninty years older than Inuyasha's, even though it is the same sword." Miroku looked at her quietly. _If that's true, then there are two endings to his story. Either he becomes a full yokai, or he dies. _Miroku mentally sighs _That is sad, I had hoped that they would work it all out. _"Kagome... you do know what that could possibly mean?" Kagome glared at him. "I know what you're thinking... and that isn't neccessarily true. You can't know the way things will happen, which is why there is no definate story as to how my family has it. Well, at least when you will take some part in it." Miroku nodded, and said nothing for a few minutes. "Another thing Kagome... You are not as you were. Your miko powers have trippled in the past two days, and it is starting to fit to your mood. You must not let your powers be determined by your mood. It is a dangerous trap that so many fall in to. You must train yourself. I will help you, as well as Sango and Kaede. I must tell you, Now that Inu... Ass-wipe... is gone, you will have to become more efficient at protecting yourself, especially if he is one of our enemies." Kagome stared at him for a minute and nodded. "I have felt, different. I guess if you really think I need the training, I will. But if you try one single lecherous act, you'll be dead before I could stop myself. Got it?" Miroku gulped. "I wouldn't dream of it, not after what happened with Ass-wipe." "Good. So long as we understand each other." Miroku nodded. _She really means it. She would kill me, and not feel the slightest remorse for quite some time... if ever. This is strange. Her aura is changing so quickly, it's begining to become demonic. How is that? She is NOT a yokai, nor a hanyou... and as far as I know, she doesn't have any yokai blood at all. I guess I will have to judge again in a few more days. _"Goodnight Miroku, I'm going to see if Sango wants to take a bath." Miroku nodded as she walked outside. _This will be interesting._

Sango, as it turned out, did want to take a bath, so they retreated to the hot springs that was closest to them. "Miroku wants me to start training. You know, for battle and to control my miko powers better. I guess I'm going to learn most of my battle things from you and Miroku, and to control my miko powers mostly with Kaede and a little help from Miroku." Sango looked at her. "So he will be helping the most? Sounds like lechery to me." Kagome nodded. "I already took care of that matter. I told him if he committed one lecherous act he would die before I even thought about it." Sango laughed. "How'd he take that?" Kagome smiled as she responded. "He looked scared and gulped, then said, 'I wouldn't dream of it.' I wanted to laugh at that..." Sango imagined his deer-in-the-headlights look and giggled for a few minutes, causing Kagome to truly laugh for the first time in the past few days. "Sango... Why don't you just admit that you love Miroku?" Sango went silent. "I-I-I don't..." Kagome gave her a look. "Don't lie to me. I can tell. You love him the way I once loved Inuyasha... the way I still love him, deep within myself." Kagome felt tears well up inside of her. She wanted to cry, and it was going to drown her if she didn't let it out, but she refused to submit to the pain. She supressed the flood till later, as she always would. Sango watched her silently and sadly. _Come on Kagome, let it out. Just cry, and it will be all over. Come on, cry, please, don't become an iron mask of bravery. _Kagome then sighed. She then smiled at Sango and stood up, now seemingly back to normal. "I'm starting to get drowsy and pruney. Lets go."

Inuyasha stood up and kicked the log he had been sitting on for the hundredth time. "Ow! Shit!" He held his foot close to him. There was a giant bruise on the top of his foot where he kept kicking the log. _God damn her... How did she make me feel so lowsy? I tried to fix it, and she said 'NO' like I had done something bad. I mean, It's her fault for teasing me all these years... Maybe I was too forcefull... Oh what the hell. It doesn't matter anyway. We're over. Forever. _Inuyasha felt like he wanted to cry. _OH HELL NO! I will NOT cry over that bitch. She's only a copy of Kikyou anyways. Maybe I should try Kikyou again? No. That would only remind me of Kagome... anyways, it's not possible between me and her either. She's dead. I'm not even in love with the Kikyou that is alive. Damnit... I need to become a full demon, then I wouldn't care anymore. No more human emotions. Sesshoumaru had it right all along. Humans are useless. Damnit, Kagome had my jewel shards! Thats over half the jewel! And Naraku has pretty much the rest... I need to collect more shards... without Kagome or Kikyou. I don't need a woman. If other, stupider demons can get jewel shards, then why can't I? It won't be that hard! _Inuyasha picked up his shirt and the top piece of his kimono. It smelled of Kagome. "AHHH!" He threw it into the river and scrubbed it on a rock. Then he lifted it and smelled it again. Her scent was still there. "God Damnit! She won't go away!" Then he looked down. Her scent was all over him. "No!" Inuyasha dived into the river and scrubbed at himself. He climbed onto a rock and smelled again. Her scent was still there, but fainter. "Nononononono..." he scratched at himself, actually drawing blood trying to rid himself of her scent. He soon lost control of himself, shredding his skin and clothes alike, and biting himself. Then he fell into the water again. He felt like he was ripping to shreds. When he reemerged, he crawled halfway onto the bank, and allowed the bottom half of him to be comforted by the flowing water. He shivered. Then he caught another scent. Naraku's scent. "Well Inuyasha... Long time no see." Naraku said, sounding cockier than ever. "You do know that talking to yourelf is one of the first signs of madness?" Inuyasha looked up to Naraku and tried to say something, but then passed out from his loss of blood. Naraku watched where the river started to turn red and the red water drifting down. "Hmmm. Interesting." Kagura then walked out of the shadows with Kanna and Kohaku. "Naraku, are you going to simply sit there at watch him bleed to death or are you going to finish him?" Kagura said after observing the scene. Naraku smiled to himself. "On the contrary... I am going to save him. Bring him to the castle, and bind his wounds of self-infliction. Then inform me when you are finished, I want to try to make a deal with him." Naraku then disappeared. Kagura looked astonished, then infuriated. _Damn, there goes one of my ways to kill the bastard._ Kanna looked up to Kagura and walked over to Inuyasha. Kohaku followed her and then Kagura followed suit. They all together lifted him and then Kagura threw up a feather, and it transformed into her larger one. They dropped Inuyasha inside and then they all climbed in they lifted into the air and headed towards Naraku's newest castle.

_What is Naraku thinking? Would Inuyasha really make a deal with him? _Kagura thought to herself as she finished bandaging up Inuyasha. "Kohaku. Kanna. Watch Inuyasha, and if he attacks you, defend youself and notify Naraku." Then she walked to Naraku's chambers, where he was waiting for her. "He is finished?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "Yes." Naraku smiled to himself as he heard Kagura's heavily supressed anger underneath her voice. "Excellent." he paused for a few seconds. "When will you understand that I know of your plots to kill me, and that they are useless?" Kagura's eyes widened, and then she looked resigned. "Whenever you give me my heart, my lord." Naraku chuckled his sinister laugh. "So you will forever plot? You are indeed my creation, and of the wind." There was a wail inside of another room that was heard. "Have Kanna resume her care over the baby. The racket it has been making without her is horrible. I am tempted to drown it." he said sounding fairly aggravated. "Then, send Kohaku to me, I have a mission for him. After that, resume watching Inuyasha, and bring him to me when he awakes. I have his Tessaiga and an offer I doubt he will refuse with his current mindset." Kagura nodded. "Yes My lord Naraku." Kagura walked out of Naraku's chambers and left to tend to Inuyasha. Naraku "Kanna. Tend to the baby... And you Kohaku, Naraku sends for you." Kanna walked out of the room, followed promptly by Kohaku. Kagura then kneeled down beside Inuyasha and watched him with a mild intrest. Her eyes scanned his scars and then she watched his eyes. He was begining to dream. She watched him begin to twist and turn, he was obviously having a nightmare. _Hmm... I wonder what has happened to him that makes Naraku so sure that his opinion has changed? He looks so... scared. _Kagura felt for the first time a sence of compassion. _It had to be bad, if it would make him weep._ For indeed, tears were running down from Inuyasha's eyes. Kagura could hear Inuyasha mumbling something in his sleep, but he was sobbing too hard to comprehend.

"_Kagome! Please! Come back to me... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it!" _He was watching Kagome's back walk further and futher away. He wanted her back so bad, he felt lost, alone, dead. There was a part of him that just would not let her go. _Get over her Inuyasha, she's not worth it. She will die without you anyways, and it will be all her fault. It's not your fault, It's not your fault... Let her go! "No! I love her!" LET HER GO! "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"_ His eyes snapped open. "KAGOME!" he yelled and jumped up, then landed on his knees. He was breathing heavily and was sobbing slightly to himself. Then he looked up. "Ah!" He said as his eyes met Kagura's. "What the fuck! Why the hell are you here! Where am I! What happened to me! What do you want with me! Where's Tessaiga?" Kagura looked at him placidly. "I live here, and you are in Naraku's castle, the healing chamber. You nearly killed yourself. Naraku wishes to speak to you, and he has Tessaiga. Is that all?" She said monotonously. "WHERES NARAKU!" Kagura glared at him. "I am not deaf, you can ask questions reasonably. I am to lead you to him, so that you don't have to smell your way there and touch everything. Follow me, and do not touch anything, else you will set off a trap and I'll have to clean up after you." Then she stood up and slid open the door. Inuyasha watched her for a second, then stood up and limped after her. "Why does Naraku want to speak with me?" He said in a hostile tone. "He wishes to make a deal with you." "Humph. Like I would make a deal with him... What kind of 'deal' anyways?" Kagura looked over her shoulder to him. "Your guess is as good as mine, or should it be that my guess is as good as yours, in this case?" Inuyasha shrugged. "Like hell if I know..." Kagura stopped at a door, then slid it open. "Enter." Inuyasha obeyed, and found himself with Naraku. He heard Kagura step through the door and slide it closed. "Well... Inuyasha. I find myself in your presence again. Have you been well treated?" Inuyasha glared at him. "Suprisingly so. Let's cut to the chase. What do you want?" Naraku chuckled. "As quick and to the point as you always have been, aren't you? Well, Inuyasha, I do have a deal to make with you, as I am sure Kagura has informed you. I wish for us to make a truce, after all, we both wish for the same thing. To be full-fledged yokai. I only ask of you two things. Kill Kikyou again and then take the jewel from your former friends, killing them if needed. Together, we will merge the jewel, then we will go through the process, together, to become yokai. Then we will go on our own seperate paths, and the jewel will be no more. The jewels power will divide its self evenly between the two of us, and we will be equal opponents. Then, afterwards, if you wish to fight me, then we will battle. Also, I will not attempt to absorb you, and you will not attempt to kill me until we are both yokai. I will aid you in any battle you ask of me, and you will be welcomed into my castle at any time. I will give you three days to consider the deal. You may ask me any questions you wish, but until you decide, Tessaiga will remain in my possession. I ask you to really consider your other options before deciding." Inuyasha looked at him slightly startled. He had never expected this. It seemed that his life was flipping over, and he felt trapped by it. He had nowhere to go. "What's to consider? I assume you know my position?" Naraku smiled. "I do. Your friends despise you as much as me, and you have no one to go to to help you. So, I take this as a yes?" Inuyasha nodded. "I feel like I just made a deal with evil." Naraku gave a sinister laugh as Kagura adverted her eyes. _You just did._

"So what will I do in the meantime? I can't exactly fight Sango, Miroku, and Kagome like this... or Kikyou either. Hell... I don't think I could even beat up Shippou for now." Naraku smiled. "Rest. Heal. Practice with Tessaiga." He threw Tessaiga to Inuyasha. "Do not leave for seven more days. You will be ready then." Inuyasha nodded. "Don't think I'm going to be your mindless servant either... be suprised if I don't leave in four or five days." Naraku nodded to him. "I expected as much. It was merely a suggestion." Inuyasha stared at him. "Then be more suggestive." He walked out of the room. "Lead him back Kagura. Teach him the halls, but don't let him see too much. Keep an eye on him." Kagura nodded and followed Inuyasha. She found him reaching out to touch a decorative demon head. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you." Inuyasha jumped and looked to Kagura. "What's the big ordeal? Sneaking up on me like that? Anyways... What's so dangerous about a decapitated head?" Kagura smiled. "Touch it and find out." He looked at her as she walked past him and then to the head. "Kagura... what does it do?" He said as he followed her rather like an abandoned puppy. _Oh Gods... no wonder Kagome left him. Wait... He is NOT getting attached to me is he?_ "Inuyasha, stop being a woman." Inuyasha froze. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" _That's better. Maybe I should keep him constantly pissed off._ "I called you a woman, because you are acting the part. Be a man, or rather, a male." Inuyasha seemed to be capable of spewing steam from his ears. "I am NOT acting like a woman." Kagura smiled to herself. "Well, now you're just being childish." "I am not. I am being perfectly adult-like and male." Inuyasha seemed to have an haughty air about him. Kagura turned to face Inuyasha with a skeptical look on her face. "That only makes you look like a pansy." Inuyasha was immediately pissed off again. "DAMN YOU! What the hell do you want from me!" Kagura laughed. "Nothing. That's what I want from you. Nothing."

Kagura sat down relieved in her room, alone. _Thank the Gods that's over. I thought I was going to have to kill him. He was so infuriating. I almost feel sympathy for Kagome, dealing with him for almost five years. _She adjusted herself and layed down, now attempting to sleep, but her mind refused to quiet its self. _Damn, I really need the rest._ Kagura had a feeling of need, a need she had only felt before once. She wanted to be comforted. _What the hell? Where did this... desire come from? It must be the presence of another male. Fuck. _She knew what she would have to do. She hated the idea, she thought of it as a weakness, as well as an embarrassment. She knew that Naraku would know her desire, almost as soon as it hit her, and he wasn't a person of sympathy. He had held that over her head the last time for a month. Teasing her, making her feel weak. Each slyly added comment goaded at her, making her hate him more. Then a flash of Inuyasha went through her head. "Oh no... Not this... I cannot desire him..." But she knew she was lieing to herself. She knew it was too late.

Inuyasha sat down, then stood up again. He was restless, as he had been for quite some time. None of this made since. He was working with Naraku against the people he had come to love, or had loved. _Why did I agree? I love them all, like it or not. Especially Kagome, and she's one of the major ones I have to attack. Grrr... I don't want to hurt her, do I? Oh hell, it's too late. All I can hope is that they kill me._ "Damnit! Kagome, if you would just have let me come back! And damn you Miroku and Sango, for encouraging her to abandon me! You too Shippou, Kirara! I hate ALL of you!" Naraku looked towards the door in his chambers because he heard a muffled yelling as Kanna walked in carrying a bundle of rags that stirred and leaned up against her. "Kanna, let me see Inuyasha."he said. Kanna layed the bundle down and it remained quiet as she pulled her mirror from her sash and held it up for him to see. As Naraku looked through the cracked glass, he saw Inuyasha yelling to the walls and crying. "Hmmmm. It seems that he is he is attempting to justify himself. He is so weak with his human emotions to that girl Kagome. Maybe we should just destroy her on our own? I doubt he would truly harm her, much less kill her." Kanna said nothing. "You disagree?" Kanna nodded. "Why?" Kanna looked to her mirror. Naraku's eyes followed hers and he saw Inuyasha crying angry tears over Kagome's dead body, then Inuyasha drawing Tessaiga and striking him down with Tessiaga's Bakuryuuha attack. Then he saw his body, destroyed, mangled and dead, with Inuyasha standing over his head and stabbing Tessaiga through it. "You have a point. No, I will not attack them. But he will not kill her, am I right?" Kanna nodded, then she froze. She looked back down into the mirror, as did Naraku. There was Inuyahsa, holding Kagura with an arrow sticking through her chest, where her heart would be. Then he saw Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Kagome, and Shippou standing with Kagome's bow in her hand, in a position of just releasing an arrow. He could see a sadness in Kagome's eyes and a deep loathing in Inuyasha's. "Kanna, does this mean that Inuyasha will love Kagura one day?" Kanna smiled. Then Naraku felt a small wave of desire coming from Kagura's rooms. "Surely... Not yet? She has no heart to love with! Inuyasha is still mourning his loss!" Kanna didn't reply, but her smile remained. "I see... show me Kagura." Then he saw. "Well, she desires him... but until I give her a heart, she will not LOVE him. Yet he will love her?" Kanna nodded. Naraku cracked a smile and laughed softly to himself. "My my... This will be too easy... Leave me Kanna, and tell Kagura to be Inuyasha's guide. I want them to spend extra time together... and take that bundle of brattines..." Kanna nodded, put awy her mirror, and carried out the bundle.


End file.
